Disclaimer: I don't own any of this. Harry Potter characters belong to J. K. Rowling. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle owns Sherlock Holmes. Sense and Sensibility belongs to Jane Austin. The Da Vinchi Code belongs to Dan Brown. Frankenstein belongs to Mary Shelley. Dracula belongs to Bram Stoker. Shakespeare owns Macbeth.
I thought "The Plant" would be a one-shot, but apparently it needed a sequel. For those who enjoy classic literature and a side of Vincent Crabbe that few people see, here is "Dust Jacket." Please review!
Author's Note: I have no idea what Crabbe's father's name is, so I just named him Jeremy. And I have nothing against Sense and Sensibility; I've watched the movie numerous times. I know The Da Vinchi Code was not out when Harry Potter was supposed to take place, but it just fit.
Dust Jacket
By: Ysidro
"The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them."
-Mark Twain
Severus Snape was enjoying a well deserved rest. He was alone in the staffroom for the first time in many days, and was enjoying a good book. Yes, he did read more than Potions Masters' Weekly.
A copy of Sherlock Holmes was on his lap, cleverly encased in a Potions' textbook dustjacket. Anyone who tried to read it would only see upside-down drabble about the side-effects of the Draught of the Living Dead. He had used it many times in his youth to hide Muggle novels, and it had held up quite nicely over the years.
A knock at the staffroom door disrupted his reading of A Study in Scarlet. Snape sneered as he shrunk the book and placed it in his waistcoat pocket. Holmes and Watson would have to wait; he had his own mystery to solve. It was the mystery of "Who the Bloody Hell is Wasting My Precious Free Time?"
Severus strode over to the door and flung it open with such vigor the student in front of it started to cower. It was a very pleasurable experience; he never wanted to be a teacher that let his students walk all over him. He sighed when he discovered the culprit; no deductions were required.
Crabbe.
"I found one professor!" Vincent Crabbe said, waving a book around like he had just discovered the Holy Grail. Snape made a mental note to pick up a copy of The Da Vinchi Code the next time he dropped by a Muggle bookstore. "I found another plant!"
"How very interesting Mr. Crabbe," Snape drawled, hiding his sarcasm under many layers of boredom. He gestured for Vincent to sit on the armchair across from him and his student obliged. "Did you find one in Herbology class by chance?"
"No, professor," Crabbe's face fell for a moment. "But I did find one in Charms!"
Severus had never seen the Death Eater's son so happy. He had spent so much time mentoring Draco; he had neglected to pay attention to the others. If a simple book would please one of his at-risk students, he would persevere. Holmes would just have to wait a bit longer.
"So, what did you find Mr. Crabbe?" Severus asked, hoping it wasn't a romance novel. If Vincent was reading Sense and Sensibility, Snape would slit his own throat.
"It's called Frankenstein Prof. Snape," Crabbe said, holding out the book. "It's not a play, but it was still a great read. Plus, it was short!"
"I'm sure you enjoyed that part Mr. Crabbe," Snape sneered. "You never seem to have any interest in reading the required text for Defense Against the Dark Arts class, but apparently Muggle fiction is very intriguing."
"The Frankenstein monster had emotions Professor Snape," Crabbe explained. "The monsters we study, they don't have any emotions. They're just stuff we have to fight, or that the Dark Lord has under his control. I can't believe it had to watch its master die, then leaves to commit suicide. And all it wanted was a companion! I almost cried in front of Draco and Greg professor. I had to tell them I had allergies!"
Severus was confused. He could not recall placing a copy of Frankenstein in the Charms classroom. Perhaps someone else had an interest in Muggle literature and had left the copy lying idle during one of their classes.
"I feel your pain," Severus replied, remembering the hexed dustjacket. "If you wish, you can imagine the monsters in the text have emotions. You can give them entire biographies if you want. For Merlin's sake Mr. Crabbe, just read your textbook."
"Okay Professor Snape," Vincent said, placing the novel on the coffee table in the staffroom. "I guess this is yours. I should go back to the Common Room and start reading my Defense textbook."
"Thank you Mr. Crabbe," Severus replied, nodding jerkily as his student departed. "Best of luck on your future endeavors."
Crabbe hesitated as he got out of his chair and approached the exit to the staffroom. A question had been eating at him since he had finished Frankenstein. He had to let it out or he would explode. Vincent turned to face his teacher, his right hand still on the doorframe.
"Professor, do you think the Dark Lord is capable of emotions, or is he just another monster we have to kill like in our textbooks?"
Severus was dumbfounded. This was too much, far too much for Vincent Crabbe, son of Jeremy Crabbe, to be thinking. What was he supposed to say? He wasn't even sure if he knew the answer.
The tapping of high-heels on a marble floor saved him. The strict form of Minerva McGonagall appeared behind Crabbe, her eyes staring accusingly at Vince's head. The Slytherin yelped in surprise when the woman cleared her throat.
"Mr. Crabbe," Professor McGonagall said sternly as her student smiled meekly. "I believe it is high time you got to your Dormitory. I am sure that Professor Snape has a lot of work to do and should not be disturbed any longer."
"Yes Ma'am," Crabbe saluted, scurrying off.
Severus let out a sigh of relief, sinking into the chair's cushions as Minerva walked over. She stopped at the coffee table, one of her hands brushing the book absently. She took it in her hands as she seated herself in the armchair Crabbe had been occupying moments before.
"Aw, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein," the Transfiguration teacher said, smiling at Severus. "I was wondering where I left it."
"It was you?" Severus sneered at his colleague. "You put it in Flitwick's classroom?"
"I saw Mr. Crabbe skipping out of your office a few days ago," Minerva said as she shrugged her shoulders. "I couldn't help but notice that a copy of Macbeth was hanging out of his bookbag. One I recall you reading when you were in school. Besides, I figured if Mr. Crabbe was going to fall in love with Muggle literature, he might as well learn that women can write good stories too."
"Do you have any idea what I just went through?" Snape leaned across the table and stared at Minerva. "Vincent just asked me if the Dark Lord was just a monster like in his textbooks or if he had emotions like in Frankenstein! If you hadn't come…I don't know what I would have said."
"Perhaps you should think it over Severus," Minerva replied as Snape sank back into the chair. "It sounds like Mr. Crabbe may have more insight than we give him credit for."
Severus and Minerva sat in silence for a time. Minerva rifled through the novel as Snape sulked in his chair. He picked up Sherlock Holmes and began to read. Finally, he slammed down the volume producing a puff of dust. Minerva looked up from her novel.
"That's it!" he yelled, the blood vessel in his forehead bulging. "Next time, it's Dracula! There are no Bloody emotions in that. I can claim it's for extra credit or something."
"You're just afraid I'll break out Sense and Sensibility," Minerva smiled as she looked at him from over her glasses. "I can just imagine Vincent Crabbe taking Colonel Brandon on as a role-model. Soon he'll be reciting Sonnet 130 to Millicent Bulstrode."
"You wouldn't Bloody dare!"
"You started this remember," Minerva pointed out, smiling widely. "Sense and Sensibility happens to be one of my favorite novels. Besides, I can be a very vindictive woman Severus Snape."
End
If you have any suggestions for future novels to be mentioned, please review.